"Stewart Robert Hinsley" wrote in message
...
In message , David E.
Ross writes
On 6/2/2009 4:45 PM, Connecticut wrote:
When removing blossoms to aid plant growth, is it O.K. to cut them off
or should they be plicked off by hand?

In general, just cut them off. For low-growing plants with many flowers
(e.g., cottage pinks, candytuft), you can even use grass shears.

I know of only one plant in my garden -- Alstroemeria -- for which the
recommendation is not to cut but to pull. When a shoot is through
blooming, I give it a steady pull (not a sudden tug) and pull the entire
shoot out of the ground. Sunset recommends this as something that will
promote the growth of new flowering shoots. I experimented with cutting
the top off the shoot. The shoot did not grow any side shoots and
eventually yellowed and withered. I did indeed get more flowers when I
pulled out the old shoots.

Rhododendron is another plant for which deadheading by cutting may be
disrecommended. In this case the problem is that you can't cut off the
flower heads without taking out the new buds.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

You can cut off the old flower heads without taking out the new buds, but
you do have to be careful, and should use narrow-nose pruners, not regular
garden pruners.